15 March 2025, Manila. By now, the discussion on Katay Duts' arrest has settled into Family Feud tropes. While not incorrect -- BBM was indeed pivotal to the turn of events -- exclusive emphasis on the dynastic contest for power eclipses the work of hundreds who built the case.
Human rights advocates and the lawyers among them (notably Atty. Jude Sabio), the victim families who found solace in organized political response, the clergy (the late Fr. Amado "Picx" Picardal CSSV, Fr. Flavie L. Villanueva SVD, and now-Cardinal “Ambo” David, Paring Bert Alejo SJ), the rare politicians (Sen. Senator Risa Hontiveros, Sen. Antonio Trillanes, notably), Chito Gascon and his team during their tenure at the Commission on Human Rights, as well as Chito's predecessor at his job, Sen. Leila Norma De Lima, academia (you know who you are), artists (Mae Paner, for example), the Nightcrawlers (Ezra Acayan, Raffy Lerma, and their group), an eminent forensic scientist (Dr. Raquel Fortun), the civil society leadership (Dinky Soliman and Teresita Quintos Deles, among many), journalists, supportive global figures (e.g. Agnes Callimard), and many others.
Including the whistleblowers Arturo Lascañas and Edgar Matobato, who themselves murdered scores in ghastly ways, as leads of the Davao Mayor's Davao Death Squad.
And a President of the Philippines, Benigno S. Aquino III, who made sure that these key witnesses lived to tell their story.
These individuals and groups built on decades of human rights advocacy, progressively refining capacity in legal remedy. Paralleled and amplified by independent art making and comms.
Their bravery and commitment to the detailed, inexorable work to file for redress with the ICC allowed the arc of history to point in the direction of justice.
Mountains of work. Immeasurable courage.
Please let's not lose the big picture. To tell this story as vulgar family warfare for the right to corruption in perpetua, is a dismissal of true social power in this country.
The Philippines' defense of human rights is a cultural phenomenon.
The delivery of a murderous, sociopathic head of state to the appropriate body is this nation's contribution to world culture.
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